All dialectal words should be marked; Standard Swahili (based on Zanzibari Swahili) is the default for all entries and does not need to be marked as such. Dialects do not get independent L2 headers, but instead are marked with {{context}} on the definition line and {{qualifier}} elsewhere.

Swahili is written in the Latin script primarily, but Arabic script entries are also accepted. Arabic script should not be used in translation tables, but instead linked to in the alternative forms section. Entries written in German orthography follow the same rules. All of these spellings must pass WT:ATTEST just like anything else.